Thais are Asia’s top tippers

07/30/2012

Thais are the top tippers in the Asia Pacific region, according to new research. A new study by MasterCard has found that 89% of Thai nationals say they would tip in a restaurant or bar – far more than any other nation, with the Philippines (75%) and Hong Kong (71%) a distant second and third. Only 3% of Japanese respondents said they would be happy to tip in restaurants, while 13% of South Koreans and 17% of Taiwanese would do likewise. Interestingly, Asian men were found to be more generous than women. Across the region 43% of men said they would tip a waiter, compared to just 39% of women. The greatest disparity between the sexes came in New Zealand, where just 14% of women said they would tip, compared to 27% of men. “The research indicates what a diverse set of markets make up the Asia Pacific region; it is a truly remarkable mix of cultures,” said Georgette Tan, Group Head of Communications for MasterCard in Asia Pacific.